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Cuts in International Aid: Why our work is more important than ever

When David Cameron was prime minister, his government committed to spending 0.7% of national income on international aid1. That was in a time of austerity. Today’s government, in response to Covid, will cut this to 0.5%1. It means a loss of 4 billion pounds spending on overseas aid this year1. This is devastating to projects all over the world, and will compound the problems we have in the world. No other government has decided to do this, only the UK. It means just over 100,000 people (mainly children) will die. Deaths which would have been prevented with the UK aid promised by David Cameron.1.


The devastating effects due to the cuts in international aid mean that the work of small charities, like ours, working at grassroots level, is more important and vital than ever. 


Why we exist

Over 258 million children and youth are not attending school2. Over 59 million are of primary school age, so they may never learn to read and write, and over 200 million are of secondary age3 so they may never acquire basic humanistic, artistic, financial, scientific and technological knowledge, or access the skilled labour market. Without a basic education and knowledge of their human rights, these children are subject to labour abuse, and frequently physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse.

 

Many of these children are in developing countries and will remain in poverty without education to help them change their circumstances. Lack of education causes poverty and slow economic and technological development. Education boosts economic growth enabling stability and independence, and allows for better environmental management. This positively effects the global market, the global community, culture and the global environment.


We are working to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 - ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. We believe that this goal underpins all the other sustainable development goals. Our work directly protects and upholds human rights and sustainable life on this planet.

 

We exist to reach this goal. We hope one day that we won’t have to exist anymore.


3 opportunities to create change

We can see three key areas which can be effective in tackling the problem of making equitable education accessible for all.



1. Access to education

 

The problems that children have in accessing education are diverse and vary from place to place. Every country, every district, every school and every child will have their own unique collection of challenges. The solutions found need to be as varied as the problems faced. By working in partnership with Teachers’ Unions and educators in various countries, we have developed projects that aim to resolve specific issues that children are facing in  order to access education.


Our projects are in line with SDG Target 4.5 - Eliminate all Discrimination in Education. Inclusion and equity

and gender equality are the focus of these projects. They also support Target 4.6 - Universal Literacy and Numeracy by enabling children to access education.


Educating women is essential for giving them control over their reproduction1, which affects their earning ability and has a big impact on the world population. There are many reasons why women are not able to access education. We work closely with organisations, education unions, teachers and educators in country to develop tailored solutions that will address the challenges that prevent women and girls accessing education.


Our Positive Periods Program teaches girls, women, men and teachers to make sanitary pads from local materials: it raises awareness of menstrual health, so girls can go to school and stay in school during their periods. Our work has impacted over 100,000 women and girls in Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Cuba so far. In some areas 1 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence. Our Gender Based Violence workshops create discussion, raise awareness and generate action plans so girls can be safe in school.


We help children get to school, by providing bicycles. In response to accessing education during Covid, we provided solar radios. We work on projects that resolve the problem of access to technology and internet so children can be given better learning opportunities. Our projects are tailored to specific challenges, and we have charity gifts to allow people to donate to their favourite cause, CLICK HERE to find them and for more information.



2. Resources for Educators

 

Teachers are the key to achieving all of the SDG 4 targets, and they need to be empowered, motivated, professionally qualified, and supported with resources. We work in partnership with Education Unions in various countries to develop projects that support teachers and educators through training programmes, knowledge exchange, learning and development, building learning resource centres, and collaborating to develop new resources.


These projects are in line with SDG Target 4.c - Increase the Supply of Qualified Teachers in Developing Countries through training, development and resources.  They also support Target 4.6 - Universal Literacy and Numeracy by providing ‘mother tongue’ literacy resources. Target 4.7 - Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship is supported in our Life Long Learning Webinars in which we have explored sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and nonviolence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity.


We have developed teacher training programs in Nepal, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Colombia, Haiti and Cambodia and Learning Resource Centres in Haiti, Nepal and The Gambia. We work with UNESCO ASPnet exchanging knowledge, materials and good practice in education. Our Life Long Learning Webinar series is helping to develop educators across the globe. So small charities like us have a huge impact and create a wave of change. Donating directly to us allows us to develop more resources for educators, some of our resources can be found here.



3. Education Dialogue

 

Underpinning all the work we do is listening and promoting discussion and dialogue. This allows communities and educators to find their own solutions to the challenges they face, and gives them the support and connections to people who can help. Sharing stories, through listening and discussion, drawing, reading and writing, making and watching films, enables people to connect, empathise and breakdown barriers.


This underpins Target 4.7 - Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship by offering the evidence for how people miss out on education, and what happens to their opportunities, human rights, gender equality, sustainable development and health. It supports SDG Target 4.1 - Free Primary and Secondary Education through appreciating the life changing importance of education in people’s lives. Target 4.5 - Eliminate all discrimination in Education by highlighting the discrimination faced by many. Promoting dialogue inspires people to support all the targets for SDG4.

 

Our popular ENGAGE magazine provides a forum for people to share ideas on what needs to be done, and reflects on progress so far on the SDG 4 goals. Starting the discussion at an early age is important and we promote ‘Education For All’ discussions in schools and community groups. Story-telling, collecting and sharing stories, to foster inclusion and understanding between people and cultures and promote dialogue is essential to us reaching our goals. As are film screenings and interviews to promote understanding and discussion about the challenges to accessing education.


Let’s create change together


The government have cut overseas aid and consequently people will suffer. However, hope is not lost.  

 

We believe that  lives can be transformed through education.  If you do too then join with us to help make QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL become a reality.


Donate Now




1. https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2021/may/13/why-is-the-uk-slashing-its-international-aid-budget-podcast

2. According to UIS data for the school year ending in 2018.

3. 59 million children of primary school age, 62 million of lower secondary school age and 138 million of upper secondary age.


Steve Sinnott • May 19, 2021

Spring is Here! Looking Ahead!

By Ann Beatty • March 28, 2025
Spring is definitely here, daffodils, blossom and crocuses are all basking in the bright sunshine. There is still a chill in the air in the shade but it's happening and all the seeds that were sown over the last few months are coming to fruition. At the Foundation, we have been planning the year ahead and our Positive Periods and Prevention of Gender Based Violence programmes got underway this weekend in Haiti and Ghana. These projects will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the women and girls who take part: tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and enabling girls to attend school every day when they have their period, to feel safe at school and know how to take action when they are faced with violence. These are the first of many projects planned for the year ahead as we continue to work towards Education for All children everywhere.

Igniting a movement for education for all

By Hannah Frisch • March 7, 2025
The outlook for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) on global education is far from rosy. But a gloomy future isn’t inevitable. Disappointing statistics are the result of political choices that can be shifted and there are thousands of youth, grassroots activists and civil society organisations across the UK advocating for global education to make these changes. We need more people involved to build the momentum, we need to make a difference in challenging circumstances. You can help! Here’s how; Making global education a UK priority The UK is an important donor and champion for global education. However, education has been gradually deprioritised on the development agenda. Global education spending has plummeted from 13.5% of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2013 to just 3.5% in 2023, and education was one of the sectors hit hardest by the abandonment of the 0.7% gross national income (GNI) target for ODA. With Labour’s annual budget confirming another reduction in the aid budget, funding for global education is under threat of being cut even further unless we stand together to say this can’t happen. While education is a domestic priority for the new Government, it has yet to emerge as a strong theme in their development agenda. As the Labour Party continues to develop their approach there is a unique opportunity for advocates to connect these dots and make the case for why education must be a key part of the Government’s international plans. For the Government to take action it needs to hear demand for change. There are many issues MPs recognise are important, but if they do not hear about these issues from constituents it can be hard for MPs to be vocal about them in Parliament. Following an election where many parliamentary seats were won with tight margins, MPs need to hear from the people they represent that global education must be on their agenda. With over half of MPs elected for the first time this year, many are actively looking for a steer on what issues to work on. We can give them one! How to Get Involved Write to your MP about why global education needs to be a bigger priority for the UK Government and encourage members of groups you are a part of, such as your union branch or a local community group, to do the same. This can have a real impact on your MP’s interest and ability to act for global education. You can also connect with other grassroots activists and get resources for taking action from international development advocacy organisations like Results UK. You can learn more about Results UK’s grassroots network on our website. If you are a teacher, get your school involved in the Send My Friend to School Campaign (SMF). Send My Friend is a UK civil society coalition advocating for SDG4 which supports a mass UK schools campaign to amplify student voices calling for universal quality education in solidarity with their peers around the world. Free campaign packs are available on the SMF website for primary and secondary levels with everything teachers need to run the campaign in their school. Parliamentarians can learn more about education issues and how to act by joining the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Global Education, a cross-party group that brings together Parliamentarians interested in the right to education and provides them with knowledge and resources to be champions of the issue. By joining our voices through collective action, we can make a real difference in moving the needle on this issue. Together we have a chance to rechart the course for the realisation of quality education for all. BIOGRAPHY Hannah Frisch is the Senior Policy and Parliamentary Advocacy Officer for Education at Results UK and a Co-Chair of the Send My Friend to School Policy and Parliamentary Working Group. She is a policy advisor for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Global Education in the UK Parliament.

Supporting work for The Federation of Drama Schools

By Melanie Lavery • March 3, 2025
Last year the Steve Sinnott Foundation supported the work of The Federation of Drama Schools by providing financial aid to new graduates, enabling them to take part in an industry showcase at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The showcase is an annual event for Irish graduates who have completed a professional training at one of the Federation’s partner conservatoires in the UK, introducing young actors to the industry they hope to work in. The Federation of Drama Schools partners are institutions that provide conservatoire vocational training for those who want to be professional performers, theatre makers and technical theatre practitioners. The courses they offer are for students of eighteen years and over, who have completed their school level education. In November (2024) fourteen young Irish graduates took part in the showcase and the SSF provided financial support to two graduates who may not otherwise have been able to take part in this showcase, which is a bridge between training and their professional career. Melanie Lavery from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama is one of those who benefitted from this support. Melanie writes of her experience. I would like to say a huge thank you to the Steve Sinnott Foundation for the support I received, making it possible for me to take part in the Dublin Showcase 2024. The opportunity allowed me to work with graduates from across FDS schools and widen my contacts in the industry. Coming from a socio-economically deprived area, I’ve often missed out on opportunities available to my peers. I have had to spend a lot of energy during my three years in drama school working to support myself and this has meant I often don’t have time to follow up network opportunities. In receiving this sponsorship and taking part in the showcase I have been able to connect with other Irish creatives - the people I am acting opposite, directors, casting directors and agents in the industry. These industry showcases are so important for graduates. It gives us the possibility of networking with industry professionals and hopefully the opportunity of taking that first crucial step into the profession we have trained for. As I studied in Wales, it gave me the chance to return to Ireland and to reach out to creatives there. The Foundation gave me this amazing opportunity to kick start my career in my home country. On the day of the showcase, I had such pride watching my fellow Irish peers performing on stage at Ireland’s National Theatre. Working together throughout the rehearsal period, I got to know them individually and we all helped each other to grow as performers. This showcase has helped me to create my own community of actors around me. When it came to talking with other creatives after the show case, I became so much more aware of how large and welcoming the industry is in Ireland and how much work is being produced here. I think this show case is so important as it highlights how vibrant and growing the industry is in Ireland. I feel so lucky that I was able to take part thanks to the help of the Steve Sinnott Foundation. For more information on the Federation of Drama Schools, professional industry showcases, and it’s partner schools please visit www.federationofdramaschools.co.uk
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